Memories of Connor's Adventures

Orlando the Adventurer pulled a Scimitar from beneath his Robes and smiled...

Wednesday, 22 August 2018

Linguistic Archaeology: Old English

Old English              Meaning                                     Protoform

aelf/aelb                  elf                                                arkulf/arkulb
aethel/aedil             noble                                          arkuthkul/arkudkul
badu/beado/beo   fight, battle                               bardku/bkuardo/bkuo
blith                           cheerful                                     blkuth
bregu                        prince                                        barkugku
ceol                           keel, ship                                   ckuol
coen/coin/cene     bold, fierce                                 cokun/ckunku
cuth/cud                  known, famous                        ckuth/ckud
cwic(u)/quic           alive                                             ckukukuc(ku)/qkukuc
dryct/dryht              band of retainers                     darkukuct/darkukuht
ead/ed/aead           bliss, prosperity                       kuard/kud/arkuard
eald/ald                    old, eminent                             kuarld/arld
kuh/alh                     temple, refuge                        kuh/arlh
earcon/ercon          genuine, excellent                    kuarcon
earn                           eagle                                           kuarn
ecg/ec                      edge, sword                               kucg/kuc
eofor                         boar                                              kuofoar
eorcon                      genuine, simple                         kuoarcon
eormen/yrmen       universal, immense, whole      kuoarmkun/kukuarmkun
folc                            folk, people, nation, tribe         folc
ford                           forth, forwards                           foard
fri                               free                                                farku
go/d                          gold                                               go/d
grim                          savage, fierce                               garkum
haem                         home                                             harkum
haeth                         heath                                             harkuth
heah                           high, illustrious                            hkuarh
healf                           half                                                 hkuarlf
hreth                           victory                                           harkuth
hroth(i)                      fame                                              haroth(ku)
huaet                         sharp, bold                                   hkuarkut
hyg/hugu                  mind, heart, courage                  hkukug/hkugku
iaru                             ready, prepared                           kuarku
leof                             desirable, friend, dear                lkuof
maegen                     strength, might, ability               markugkun
oidil                            native country, one’s land          okudkul
ongen                         opposed, against, contrary to   ongkun
OS                               god                                                  os
rath                             quick, clever                                 ararth
saex/sax/sex           knife, short sword                          sarkux/sarx/skux
se/e                            house                                               sku/ku
tat                               tender, delicate                             tart
theod                         folk, people                                     thkuod
til                                 good, excellent                              tkul
torct                           illustrious, bright                           toarct
trum                           firm, strong                                     tarkum
tun                              enclosure                                         tkun
waeg                          motion, wave, billow                     kukuarkug
wig                              strife                                                 kukukug
wil                               will, desire, pleasure                    kukukul

Old English              Meaning                                     Protoform

b(e)ald/balt/balth*                  bold, brave             b(ku)arld/barlt/barlth*
be(o)rht/berct/ berict*           bright, noble          bku(o)arht/bkuarct/bkuarkuct
beorn/bern*                 man, warrior (poetic)     bkuoarn/bkuarn
brand                             sword                                 bararnd
brod/brord                   point, lance                        barod/baroard
burg/burh                     castle, town                       bkuarg/bkuarh
cyni/cyn(n)(e)*            kin, family                           ckukunku/ckukun(n)(ku)*
degn                               thane, servant, warrior     dkugn
ferth                                mind, soul, life, person    fkuth
flaed/fled                      cleanliness, beauty           flarkud/flkud
for                                   journey                                foar
frith(u)/frit/frid            peace, security                  farkuth(u)/farkut/farkud
gar*                                spear                                    gar*
geld                                worship, sacrifice, payment        gkuld
gifu/geofu                    gift                                        gkufku/gkuofku
gis(i)l                              hostage                                gkus(ku)l
gund(i)/gunn(r)            war, combat                       gkund(ku)/gkunn(ar)
gyth/gyd*                      war, combat                         gkukuth/gkukud*
haed/hathu*                  battle                                     harkud/harthku
heard/hard*                  hardy, firm, brave                hkuard/hard*
here/heri*                      army, host, folk                   hkuarku/hkuarku*
he/m                               helmet, protection, protector       hku/m
hild(e)*                           war, combat                         hkuld(ku)*
hun                                  young bear                           hkun
Iac                                   dance                                     larc
laf                                    legacy, relic, survivor          larf
lid                                    soft, gentle                           lkud
lind/linda                       serpent                                  lkund/lkundar
maer(e)                          famous                                  markuar(ku)
man/mon                       man                                        marn/mon
mund                               hand, protection                  mkund
noth                                 boldness, booty                    noth
raed/red*                        counsel, wisdom                  ararkud/arkud*
refu                                   steward, high official           arkufku
ric                                      powerful, ruler, kingdom     arkuc
sig/sige*                         victory                                     skug/skug
stan                                   stone                                       starn
swith/swid                      strong                                      skukukuth/skukukud
theof                                 criminal, thief                          thkuof
theow                                servant, slave, follower        thkuokuku
thryth/thryd*                    force, strength, majesty       tharkukuth/tharkukud*
w(e)alch/walh                 foreigner, slave                      kuku(ku)arlch/kukuarlh
weald/wald*                    power, rule, possession    kukukuarld/kukuarld
weard/ward                     guardian                                kukukuard/kukuard
wic                                     dwelling place, village         Kukukuc
wict/wiht*                        creature, person                    kukukuct/kukukuht
wine/wini                          friend, protector                 kukukunku
wiw/wiu                             holy                                       kukukukuku/kukukuku
wuda/widu/wudu            wood                                      kukukuda/kukukudku
wulf/wulf*                          wolf                                      kukukulf
wyn/wynn*                        joy, delight                            kukukukun/kukukukunn*

* — An asterisk marks sets of second elements that can also be used as first elements.

Fascinating that the word Bregu (Prince) comes with barku- which is basically  a boat. -gku appears in the other words for war, gift, hostage, payment, courage, strength, opposed. So the Prince was a royal hostage?

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